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US-led drills to end six days early, South Korea says, amid Trump push for Kim Jong-un talks

The Guardian World Wednesday 19 August 2026, 02:18 UTC By Raphael Rashid in Seoul 1 min read
Key Points

South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff said the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise would end on 21 August at the request of the USSouth Korea’s military has confirmed that joint military drills with the US will be cut short, days after Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to scale back the exercises. In a statement on Wednesday, South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff said at the request of the US side, the Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise – which began on Monday would end on Friday, six days earlier...

South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff said the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise would end on 21 August at the request of the US

South Korea’s military has confirmed that joint military drills with the US will be cut short, days after Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to scale back the exercises.

In a statement on Wednesday, South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff said at the request of the US side, the Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise – which began on Monday would end on Friday, six days earlier than originally planned.

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US (LOCATION) South Korea (LOCATION) Trump (ORG) Kim Jong-un (PERSON) South Korea’s (LOCATION) the Ulchi Freedom Shield (ORG) the USSouth Korea’s (ORG) Donald Trump (PERSON) Pentagon (ORG) UFS (ORG)
Originally published by The Guardian World Read original →

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